The launch of the 2026 Football World Cup faces major threats. The Handala hacker group, suspected by experts of being affiliated with the Islamic Republic of Iran, claims to have taken control of FBI surveillance drones and directly threatens the smooth running of the sporting competition.
Threats against a backdrop of geopolitical tensions
According to reports from the SITE Intelligence Group, a private organization specializing in monitoring the online activities of radical groups, Handala claims to have been monitoring the flow of US federal police drones for several months. Hackers claim to target underwater piloted devices (FPV) used in the fight against terrorism, which embed facial recognition and license plate reading technologies.
The group explicitly mentioned the possibility of targeting the transport of World Cup teams. This computer threat occurs in a very degraded geopolitical context in the Middle East, marked by American-Israeli strikes on Tehran last February.
Evidence disputed by experts
To support his statements, Handala released several photos and video sequences presented as captures from hacked drones. However, the SITE Intelligence Group has refuted the veracity of these documents. The monitoring organization demonstrated that one of the videos brandished by the hackers actually comes from a promotional campaign from December 2024, produced by a software publisher for an American police department in order to assess damage linked to a tornado.
Maximum security and a $10 million bounty
Faced with the risks of computer attacks and intrusions, the security system around the World Cup is particularly strict. The FBI deploys its own fleet of drones to monitor the surrounding areas of infrastructure, while the flight of civilian or unauthorized drones is strictly prohibited over stadiums and official events.
This is not the first coup claimed by Handala. Last March, the group already claimed to have hacked the personal email of FBI Director Kash Patel. In response to all of these malicious activities, the US State Department is currently offering a maximum reward of $10 million for any information leading to the identification and location of the members of this collective.
